Discovering Truth - Residential Schools
Introduction
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Activity
- Read the following article.
- Answer the following questions in a document and upload to Teams:
- What is your understanding of the term 'cultural genocide'? What happens to people who are not permitted to celebrate their culture?
- Residential School Survivor Ken Young says, "I was ashamed to be who I was because that's what we were taught." As you see it, in what ways might shame hinder a person's development and feelings of happiness?
- How is Orange Shirt Day a symbol that marks the resiliency of Residential School Survivors?
- What is your understanding of reconciliation? What would reconciliation look like, if and when it is achieved?
- Why do you suppose reconciliation is a process directed at non-indigenous Canadians? What does reconciliation mean to you? Your class? Your school?
Conclusion
Just as ripples expand across the water when something is dropped into it, a 'ripple effect' is the continuation and spreading of the results or impact resulting from an event or action. Use the information in the article to speculate on the 'ripple effect' Residential Schools had on Indigenous children, their families and communities. Focus on one specific event or action, such as"
Where possible, speculate how the various events or actions might have also impacted Canada or Canadians as a whole, and consider how the event or action may have impacted one or more of the following aspects of well-being:
Document your thinking on the Consider the Impact organizer. Start by considering the impacts of the individual level. How might the specific event or action impacted a child? Then consider how that specific event or action would have spread out to have impact at the family, community, and country level
Just as ripples expand across the water when something is dropped into it, a 'ripple effect' is the continuation and spreading of the results or impact resulting from an event or action. Use the information in the article to speculate on the 'ripple effect' Residential Schools had on Indigenous children, their families and communities. Focus on one specific event or action, such as"
- removing children from their families;
- bullying, punishment and/or abuse received by children from the Residential School staff;
- reduction in or removal of freedoms while at school, such as not being allowed to go home, or having to cut their hair or wear a uniform;
- poor living conditions;
- not being allowed to speak their native language;
- being 'Christianized' - forced to learn about Christianity;
- being taught that their culture is inferior.
Where possible, speculate how the various events or actions might have also impacted Canada or Canadians as a whole, and consider how the event or action may have impacted one or more of the following aspects of well-being:
- cultural (freedom to speak first language and carry out cultural traditions/practices);
- social (strong connection to others);
- political (adequate influence, self-determination);
- economic (good jobs/education, stable income, good standard of living).
Document your thinking on the Consider the Impact organizer. Start by considering the impacts of the individual level. How might the specific event or action impacted a child? Then consider how that specific event or action would have spread out to have impact at the family, community, and country level